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The Lawn Tennis Association has announced an independent review chaired by Christopher Quinlan QC into its failures for years to heed warnings about a coach, Daniel Sanders, who in July was sentenced to six years in prison for sexually abusing an underage player.
The LTA admitted that its safeguarding failed after it did not act sufficiently on the warnings, and promised that the review would highlight these inadequacies.
In the terms of reference, agreed with Sports Resolutions, which will oversee the review, the LTA promised: “The overriding objective of the review is to ensure that any failings by the LTA are brought to light and to ensure that lessons are learned and similar failings are not repeated.”
The terms of reference state that Quinlan and his two panel members, Jane Aldred and Lisa Wilkins, both solicitors, should have access to all materials they require, and that “the review is keen to talk to individuals who have been directly or indirectly involved with, or affected by, the events”.
As revealed by the Guardian in November , Sanders was allowed to remain in his job as head coach at the Wrexham Tennis Centre (WTC) for years despite other coaches and parents repeatedly sounding the alarm about his bullying and sexualised conduct towards young players.
One parent, Richard Hughes, who was an experienced police officer, in 2012 explicitly warned that in his professional assessment, Sanders fitted the profile of a sexual predator. Both the WTC and LTA conducted some form of inquiry at that time following warnings and complaints made in writing by other coaches that Sanders was untrustworthy and behaving highly inappropriately, but both permitted Sanders to continue in his role coaching young girls.
The LTA said the review will make its final report publicly available, saying the panel itself will decide what should be published. The terms of reference state that if the review finds information of further offences or safeguarding concerns, they will pass it to the local authority, “and, where appropriate, the police”.
Any breaches of tennis regulations will be referred to the LTA or Tennis Wales “who will take appropriate action”.
Hughes, whose daughter complained of being bullied by Sanders at the WTC, said he welcomed the announcement of the review and he hoped that people affected will come forward with information and evidence. “For me, only a thorough, transparent enquiry, with those who failed to protect children in the past being held to account, and lessons learned implemented, will restore the confidence of parents, players and coaches in the future,” he said.
(GUARDIAN)
